My fear with the current state of play, is that if Hird decides not to proceed with this appeal, then it has allowed those who have acted inappropriately and dishonestly to get away with it. It sets a dangerous precedent for anyone who passes ASADA's and the AFL's path again.
Hird standing up now, is alot more then about the legal wranglings, but about some core values that alot of us humans should live our life by. Intergrity, honesty, strength of resolve and determination no matter how hard the situation is to persist and never give in. This, will translate and influence the entire club for generations to come.
If he concedes defeat now, and we start with a so called clean slate in 2015, knowing that injustices was accepted by all involved at Essendon, well the club will have lost all that it has gained over its entire history. How can any player then look to Hird or the next coach and want to bleed in that last quarter to help out a fellow team mate?
Even the mistakes that Hird and co that made in 2012 are lessons learnt. The trick to making mistakes is learning from them and I think the club, at a club level and at an individual level have learnt these lessons. The club surely has been punished by the AFL and here they come again. Its bullshit it has come to this but it has.
Remember it is better to die with your boots on, so the club needs to find the resolve to stand up next to Hird and to continue this fight!!!!
You just cannot allow an injustice to be swept under a carpet. let alone multiple ones.
I expect Hird to continue this appeal, I expect the board to decide to appeal, I expect the players to want to appeal and I expect the supporters to understand and agree to this appeal.